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Colombia Picks 'El Cartel de Los Sapos' as Oscar bid

Carlos Moreno’s film adapts TV show about real life drug lord "Florecita."

BUENOS AIRES – The Colombian Film Academy announced today that Carlos Moreno’s El cartel de los sapos will be Colombia’s Oscar entry for 2013.

The film, produced by 11:11 Films, adapts Andres Lopez’s novel of the same title, which was previously adapted to television in Colombia. The film depicts the real life story of Lopez (a drug lord known as ‘Florecita’), who was part of the Norte del Valle Cartel and was convicted for drug trafficking, The film was shot on location in Colombia, Mexico and the US.S

Lopez’s role is played by actor Manolo Cardona, who also co-produced the film and played the same part in the TV show.

Colombian Academy President Laura Garcia said that El cartel de los sapos "represents a film trend in tone with the world’s biggest film industries: a solid story, clear filmmaking, impeccable directing and acting that go beyond the standards. The film will surely be acknowledged and admired by audiences worldwide. But the film has something as important as all of the above: its cast and crew are almost entirely Colombian. And that means something. The film is a homemade product with a worldly scent. That’s why it will represent us at the Academy Awards."